Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich) will replace Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham), who is out due to an injury, with the national soccer team captain’s armband.
According to the Korea Football Association (KFA), Hong Myung-bo appointed Kim as “temporary captain” for two consecutive rounds against Jordan and Iraq for the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North Korea and China. Vice-captain Lee Jae-seong (32, Mainz 05) maintains his role as vice-captain. While it is common for a vice-captain to take over the role when the captain is vacant, Hong temporarily handed over the captain’s armband to Kim. Hong was also the last defender and long-time captain when he was a player.
In the meantime, he has received attention as the next captain to succeed Son Heung-min, and although he is the core of the national team in terms of performance, it is important to show his change because he has often been at the center of controversy outside the game. If he shows responsibility while feeling the weight of the captain’s armband through this two consecutive games, it may be an opportunity to establish his position as the next captain to succeed Son Heung-min in the long run.
In fact, right after the match against Uruguay in March last year, Kim made remarks in a joint coverage area that seemed to hint at his retirement, but ended up with a simple incident. However, since then, he misunderstood Son’s social media posts and blocked Son from posting on social media, sparking controversy. Eventually, Kim even apologized directly to Son and his fans. They were unnecessary controversies outside the match.
After the game against Palestine last month, he was at the center of controversy once again. After the game, he approached the Red Devils and made a gesture asking them to refrain from booing, and afterwards, he expressed discontent by shaking his head or not saying hello alone during the greeting ceremony for the national team. At the time, the Red Devils only booed Chung Mong-kyu, president of the Korea Football Association, and Hong Myung-bo, coach of the national team, but gave enthusiastic support to the players.
Since then, Kim Min-jae also said in the joint coverage area, “I was sorry for the parts that I hope you can’t do well and support me. I wanted you to support the players,” adding, “I hope you don’t take it seriously, but it depends on your thinking, so those who take it like that can do it.”
In response, the Red Devils also issued a statement saying, “I’ve been with the players since the birth of the Red Devils until now, and I didn’t ‘hope not to’ or ‘wish to lose’ at any moment,” adding, “It was a protest and booing against the association that is consistent in lies and the coach who has abandoned his beliefs.” 메이저사이트
Ahead of the Oman away match, Kim Min-jae said, “I went to the audience and told them I was asking for a favor. I don’t think I was wrong for saying that, but I think I was wrong for what I did after that,” and added, “I think it was an opportunity to think about how to take care of the relationship with the fans in the future. I think I am sorry for my actions and I am reflecting on myself,” and managed to end the situation. However, some criticized Kim Min-jae’s remarks, coupled with controversies last year, saying that he does not fit as the next captain of the national team.
Amid various controversies outside the game, Kim Min-jae will be put to a new test as the next captain in the two consecutive games without Son Heung-min. As he leads the team loudly in the last room throughout the game, there is no doubt about his captain’s role on the ground, but fans are expected to see how much he can bring the team together in other ways. The match against Jordan will be held at 11 p.m. on the 10th (Korea time) at Amman International Stadium in Jordan, and the match against Iraq will be held at 8 p.m. on the 15th at Yongin Mir Stadium.